Description
Chicken Cacciatore is a classic Italian dish featuring tender chicken pieces simmered in a rich tomato and red wine sauce with mushrooms, bell peppers, and aromatic herbs. This comforting casserole is baked to perfection in the oven and pairs beautifully with noodles, rice, or polenta.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 pounds chicken wings and drumsticks
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
Sauté
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 medium onion (chopped)
- 1 pound white mushrooms (cleaned and chopped)
- 1 medium green bell pepper (chopped)
- 1 medium red bell pepper (chopped)
- 1 medium yellow bell pepper (chopped)
Seasoning and Sauce
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- 2 teaspoons oregano (dried)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes (1 can)
- ¾ cup Kalamata olives (pitted)
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F to prepare for baking the chicken and sauce together.
- Sear Chicken: Heat olive oil and butter in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat until the butter melts. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Fry the chicken on both sides until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. The chicken does not need to be fully cooked as it will finish in the oven. Remove chicken and set aside on a plate.
- Sauté Vegetables: In the same skillet, add minced garlic and chopped onions. Sauté for 2 minutes until the onions are translucent and the garlic is aromatic. Add chopped mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes until they reduce in size.
- Add Peppers: Stir in the chopped green, red, and yellow bell peppers. Cook for an additional 2 minutes until the peppers soften slightly.
- Add Spices and Liquids: Sprinkle in turmeric, dried oregano, and bay leaves. Pour in the red wine, add tomato paste, and canned diced tomatoes. Stir well, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen browned bits, and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Combine and Bake: Return the browned chicken pieces to the skillet, nestling them into the sauce. Cover the skillet with a lid or foil and place it in the preheated oven. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Finish and Garnish: Remove the skillet from the oven. Top the chicken with pitted Kalamata olives and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley before serving.
- Serve: Serve the Chicken Cacciatore hot over noodles, rice, or creamy polenta for a complete meal.
Notes
- Chicken: Use a mix of wings and drumsticks, or substitute with thighs or other bone-in, skin-on pieces for deeper flavor. Boneless chicken cooks faster but lacks the same richness.
- Mushrooms First: Cooking mushrooms before peppers helps develop flavor by browning instead of steaming them.
- Wine Swaps: Substitute red wine with low-sodium chicken broth plus a splash of balsamic or red wine vinegar if you prefer no alcohol.
- Make It Ahead: This dish stores well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; flavors mature and sauce thickens overnight.
- Deglaze the Pan: When adding liquids, scrape the pan bottom to lift browned bits for enhanced flavor.
